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Soundbreak Taps Gen Y Shop McElroy

After a review of undisclosed agencies, McElroy: FCB has landed the $5 million advertising account of Soundbreak.com, a startup service that will offer live audiocasts of new music and other youth-oriented content over the Internet. The Pasadena, Calif.-based company, a division of Acacia Research Corp., plans to go beyond what interim chief executive Paul Ryan calls “the first-generation deployment of Internet music sites.” “Most are strictly e-commerce sites that offer teaser downloads or a lot of simulcasting of existing radio stations,” Ryan said. Soundbreak.com, on the other hand, will attempt to build an audience through content that focuses on new music and a youth-oriented lifestyle. Downloadable videos, live chats with DJs and music unavailable on commercial radio will supplement the music Webcasts. E-commerce functionality will be added once the site has a following, Ryan said. Soundbreak cast a wide net in searching for an agency, but moved in quickly on Newport Beach, Calif.-based McElroy. “We think they are absolutely right on target with the market we want to reach,” Ryan said, referring to the Gen Y niche in which McElroy, acquired this summer by Foote, Cone & Belding, has specialized. “We felt after half an hour of pitching ourselves that we had the account,” said McElroy vice president Tim Garrett. Soundbreak.com, with key executives hailing from major record labels, launches at the end of September, and will be supported initially with print advertising and promotions at Southern California colleges. A national print push will follow in mid-October, Ryan said. “We will do some targeted marketing into specific college campuses and get feedback from audiences,” he said. McElroy, which has a “street team” division for guerrilla marketing, is currently developing a logo and tagline for the company.